Serv. Nay nothing but tells us onely that if wee will thrive by service we must be either close Panders palpable flatterers or cozening Villaines Alast. A good Servingmans Tutor was that Poët I warrant him Exeunt Enter the Duke at one doore with Antonio Page and other Attendants At the other doore Lucilio in Altheas apparell his face covered with a Scarfe brought in by a Pursivant at Armes Frailware and others with Holbeards as a Prisoner to the Barre Damasippus Attend. Give back there and let the prisoner stand forth Duke How did wee thinke that when the stormes of warre Were with our danger care and cost expell'd From out these confines and the warmth of peace Turn'd like a Spring to shine within your bounds We should have sate secure Or after all Those toiles that spent our strength dry'd up our blood Hasten'd the hand of time to seize our haires Before his date and onely in pursuit Of your lov'd people safty and content Our owne now fainting wearinesse of age Should taste that freedome which our labours bought In plenteous fulnesse for the poorest swaine And we have clos'd the Evening of our age Within a fearlesse slumber But how weake Are all the hopes that wretched Princes faine When in the calme of peace while wee suppose Our perils banish'd and our selves ingirt With such impenetrable love as we Embrace our people with then stand our lives Expos'd to thickest dangers which conceal'd Doe strike the deeper and are warded lesse Such is the miserie that followes State That when we want abroad we finde at home Foes to besiege our lives The discontent Of some aggrieved spirits that thinke we stand 'Twixt their desires and them and which is worse The idle passions of unbridl'd youth Rather than misse those hopes enflamed lust Has fir'd within their thoughts will overturne Whole States and climbe up to their aymed ends By our heap'd slaughters Yet I least had thought Such Tragick Acts had knowne a womans breast Nor if I could Althea would your life Strong to retort suspition once permit Our least mistrust to staine your vertuous name And had we not by heavens appointment found Vnder your hand and seale the firmest proofes Of tempting our owne blood to paricide Suspitions strongest proofes had ne'r induc'd Our never lightly credulous beliefe To harbour your dislike But should we now Neglect our safety and our Countries good When all the Providence of Fate conspires To bring those treacherous practises to light Which Heaven abhorres wee should contemne the Heavens Abuse that forme of justice we sustaine And stand as guilty of those wastefull ruines Our cruell mildnesse gives your actions scope To call upon your Countrey and our selves We therefore by the Lawes denounce you guilty Of Treason 'gainst our person and the State Lucil. Were it for life my Lord I stood to speake I scarce would give the breath that I must spend To save that life But since your Grace does know A womans prejudice has doom'd our death For my names life I le speake and not for mine If infamy might die when we doe die I would be silent for know my gracious Lord I scorne to beg a life but come all arm'd In such a compleate innocence as dares Meet angry injustice in the jawes of death And without trembling stand his violence But that these Acts of blood these horrid crimes Of paricide of lust and hellish sinne Which will out-live our Tombes and make our names Come hatefull to posterities Records Should have a birth within a Virgins breast That never yet was conscious of a wish 'Gainst your desired safety I must take leave To tell your Grace that it was meerly feign'd By the bloody hand of Envy to cut off That sacred band of love the Heavens have knit 'Twixt your sonnes heart and my chaste innocence Nor doe I taxe your justice for my death But doe impute it most to his fond love That by protests of vertue and desire Drew my beleeving soule to his affects For when my feares urg'd these ensuing ils His uncontain'd affection breaking forth In signes of extreme passion so consum'd My powers that had my thoughts beene cold as Snow His zeale pour'd out in such inflaming vowes Would melt them Duke We must check your impudence That swels beyond the bounds we did expect Your modesty should have observ'd you wrong Our sonne and in our sonne our selves know you This hand and seale Lucil. I doe my honour'd Lord Yet were that Hand and Seale never found guilty Of conceiv'd wrong 'gainst or your Sonne or you Duke 'T will speake it selfe call it to witnesse then One reades the Letter MY Lord the attempt is dangerous and foule therefore desist not to enjoy the sweets our present Nuptials would being could I endure your hand stain'd with such an Action More when wee meet feare not but Heaven and Fate will second vertue Be still your selfe and I will rest Yours more than mine ALTHEA Duke Had you a priviledge to shrowd the blush Your conscious guilt casts 'gainst the eyes of Heaven As from our sight you doe conceale the Die That writes your Acts in shame upon your Cheekes You might deny these proofes and sweare them fain'd But that all-seeing power that notes the wild And secretst passages of mans conceit Detesting those foule crimes of lust and blood Reveales your Acts Stand therefore and from the Seate Of Iustice heare your doom since your ambitious hopes Soar'd up and by our Blood did meane to climbe Into that Seat which Nature and our right Had given to us be therfore from the Rock Throwne with your hopes that your example teach How low they fall that climbe above their reach And you Antonio we charge to see The execution speedily perform'd Exit cumsuis Manent Lucilio Antonio Page Damasippus Lucil. As sweet as cooling dew comes to the brest Of scorched Autumne so Deaths slumber fals On oppress'd innocence And good Antonio Since 't is your charge to see us dead let mee Entreat this favour that my body be Speedily interr'd and pray you tell the Duke That I request his Grace not grieve too much Hereafter for what I willingly now sought And he against his will made me to finde Then that I may have a litttle space in private To bid the world farewell and this is all A dying Virgin begs and for your friend Lucilio's sake you must not now deny it Anto. Wonder of womē could my attemps but yeeld Halfe what my heart conceives these limbs should die As many severall deaths as they containe Conduits of life to make your innocence live For your Lucilios sake whose woes will swell Poore Lord like to a winde-driven Ocean When he shall heare you dead and beare him downe To some disastrous end Lucil. You are deceiv'd Deare friend Lucilio's woes end with my life Nor will a thought of griefe a teare or sigh Trouble his peacefull sleeps when I am dead But I shall straine
thy death Pursue thee farther and bereaving first Thy innocent life in some forsaken wood Leave thee unburyed and thy restlesse ghost Comes now to seeke a Sepulcher of me Alth. Great Lord recall your selfe and give me leave To speake what will resolve this doubtfull maze In which your senses wander and can finde No passage out Since I last left your Grace Travelling in that disguise I lost indeed Camilla poore Companion of my cares But hearing that your selfe in shape of me Was by your Fathers doome throwne off this Rock Knowing my sufferance guilty of your death I came to end my life where you had dyed And expiate the murder with my blood Where 't was committed on your guiltlesse self Reserv'd by Heavens mild hand to this blest houre Wherein our innocent loves might once more meet In spight of envie Lucil. Lives my Althea then Then live Althea still But speake no more Lest the vast Tyde of joy o'rwhelme my soule And kill as quick as griefe Or my sad heart Vnable to sustaine this burden of wonder Sinke and yeeld vanquish'd I have much to aske But let it rest yet tell me how thou far'dst In this long banishment stay who comes yonder Now the wind 's turn'd and fortunes lavish hand Powres downe content beyond expectation Enter Duke and Duchesse with Officers bringing Assassino to execution after them the L. Iulia and Antonio both disguised Duke Come thou inhumane murderer of my sonne Traytor unto thy Countries state and safety And now before the stroke of Iustice seize Thy hatefull life resolve the wondring world Why the slight motives of a womans words Should winne thee to so foule and horrid crimes Assas. What I have said your selfe are witnesse to Nor needs it be renew'd nor can I adde One word or syllable to make it more Duke Then let the Execution proceed That wee may doe this latest Exequie To his wrong'd ghost which is to see his blood Reveng'd with blood of those that murdred him As we have vow'd to doe and not to leave These weeds of sorrow till we have consum'd The race and name of them that did conspire In this abhorred Action And would it might Suffice the injuries we did his life Thus to revenge his too untimely death And from that height He sees them on the Rocke and stands amaz'd Am I awake or dreame I Is it my fancy Breeds this delusive show in my weak braine Or doe their soules come to condemne our guilt More cōscious of their death then whō we have brought To die for it See doe thy dazled eyes Perceive that object which my selfe beholds Or is 't some shadow that abuses mee And none but mee Duch. My sonne my Lord my sonne More knowne by 's ghost then if his living forme Had met mine eyes ô speake to him my Lord Duke If thou beest such as is thy semblance By all that duty that thy life did owe Vnto a Parent by the Bands once due Of Love and Nature that unites the soules Of children and their carefull nourishers I doe adjure thee tell why in this midd'st Of day you come thus to renew our griefe What has there wanted to your Funerals When we have wept us dry and spent our teares More thicke than winter showers upon your Hearse Done all the Rites and Exequies were due To your interring And have vow'd revenge To all that did conspire in that foule Act Of thy too guiltlesse murder Lucil. Know that wee are return'd From out those Seats of Blisse where we were plac'd By your unjust proceedings to make knowne That what you did was 'gainst the will of Fate For see what you deny'd upon the earth The power of Heaven does grant and has confirm'd Our long-borne loves with an Eternall peace Where our two soules in sweetest union knit Enjoy their Nuptials out of Envies reach Yet know there are some punishments reserv'd For the vile Treasons practis'd in pursuite Of our unmerited wrongs and that their sinne Is mark'd for plagues that seeke by force to breake The League that Love and Faith doe joyntly knit Duke Then let 'hem fall wee are prepar'd for woes Though shot as thick as Haile from out the Clouds Our guilt is greater than those punishments Or all our future plagues can expiate The Duke and Duchesse both kneele Yet on our bended knees thus low to earth As we did both conspire in that foule plott We here entreat your pardons and withall Wish the offended Heavens would bee appeas'd With Vowes and Orisons and would your ghosts Forget those injuries wee did your loves And rest in peace with us and with the world Lucil. Father we will but should we live againe You would not yet relent and yeeld our loves The sufferance you see the Heavens have done Duke By Heavens I would nor should the potent'st hand Of earth resist your present Nuptials Lucil. Then wee 'll be ghosts no more but ever sue For your mild sufferance of our happinesse Come downe both kneele Duke Wonder and amazement do not oppresse me Duch. O we are blest beyond desert Alth. Yet is my joy but small amidst your many Since you have burnt my innocent Mother And razd our Family Iul. No my deare daughter see I safely live Ne'r blest till now and now o'r-joyd with blisse Lucil. Then joyes would be compleate had I not lost By thy vile murderous hand so deare a friend Anton. Your friend still lives and never felt his life Sweet till this instant when I may behold These joyes combin'd Duke Why then there nothing wants But celebration of your Nuptials Which we will doe with greater signes of joy Then we had griefe in your supposed Funeralls But whose death is this murderer guilty of Ant. Onely Alastors a fellow as wicked as himself Duke We give him then his life but banish him From our Dominions and for this strange event We will expect a farther leisure To heare the whole discovery of the chance And leave the rest to mirth that shall command In all our Feasts and whom wee 'll Crowne as King To be chiefe Lord in all our Banquetting Exeunt omnes Omnia vincit amor nos cedamus amori * Ambubaiarum Collegii Alumni The Epilogue IVdging Spectators all for this wee know That either you are such or should be so Now to your censures lowly as his minde Our Authour all submits and hopes to finde In such a faire assembly no such eyes As scoute at Theaters and come like flies To taint the innocent'st labours with their tongues Raising their richest gaines from others wrongs If such an envious Canker hap to lurke Here and hath onely sate to taxe the worke With curious scanning let that envy know He scornes his censure onely and can show 'Gainst all such labour'd hisses Perseus Shield In such a fearlesse Pen as ne'r shall yeeld 'Till his cold merits doe his worth bewray Or make himselfe a mewing Statua Nor is he of those self-admiring Apes That thinke none's features faire whose birth escapes Their labouring braines hee heares and sees and knowes And yeelds all reverence to the worth of those VVhom solid Art extols and unto such Hee humbly vailes his Scene that for the touch Of unaffecting censures hither came Hee sought your mirth more than a Poets name FINIS
ADRASTA OR THE WOMANS SPLEENE And LOVES CONQVEST A Tragi-comedie Never Acted Horat. Volet haec sub lace videri Iudicis argutum quae non form dat acumen LONDON Printed for Richard Royston and are to be sold at his Shop in Ivie-lane next to the Exchequer Office 1635 TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL And others His Friends and Musophilus EUGENIUS wisheth Pierian love benevolent aspect and candid Censure HAving long since honour'd Gentlemen and friends finish'd this Play and fitted it for the Stage I intended to have had there the Promethean fire of Action infus'd into it being thereto encourag'd by the generall good liking and content which many of you vouchsaf'd to receive in the hearing of it which way it never yet miscarryed but still had all that the eare could give it and with whom some prime wits of both the Universities and those that were learned in this facultie competent Iudges enough have in their free and open Censures unanimously accorded This I say was encouragement enough for me to prefer this little Gloweworme which I had as yet only fostred and kept warme with mine owne breath to the Stage and to bring it into that Noble nursery of Action where Dramatick Poëms usually and rightly take their Degrees of applause from them that can best judge the Spectators that as it had been before only demissa per aurem it might be now at length Oculis subjecta fidelibus But the Players upon a slight and halfe view of it refus'd to doe it that right The reason I well know not unlesse perhaps it had not in it so much Witchcraft in Poëtry as now t is known the Stage will beare Be what will it hath again been under the file since they saw it and now by the earnest impulse of some particular friends necessity concurring my selfe also willing to avoid farther trouble and care for it that it might not hinder the conception of things more worthy your care and sight I was unwillingly forc'd to publish it to the World where being freely exposed to all censures I doubt not but many a dogg-tooth'd Cynick will have a snap at it But I know already they will not be worth my anger and therefore should be loath to spend any part of my Title upon them only I wish them to note this saying well Anothers work to reprehend How easie t is how hard to mend In the mean time I doe submit it wholly to the learned judgements of you all Gentlemen for whose delight it was conceived and written To you doe I repaire both for defence and candor hoping that you will vindicate this harmelesse piece from the rash censures of malevolent and unskilfull Iudges whilst I take leave to say Demetri teque Tigelli Discipulorum inter jubeo plorare Cathedras What tho it was never acted I hold the deep and solid eare a more faithfull messenger to the understanding than the eye Grave Auditors are still welcomer to the Muses than light Spectators such I meane as applaud only of toyes and bables Poscentes Vestro multum diversa palato are like Americans meerely taken with bels rattles and Hobby-horses not relishing the perfection of nature nor solid Art though Industry labour to feed them with both at once But this excuse is left for them Invincible Ignorance satisfies before God and man This hope remaines to us Non omnes eadem mirantur amantque What though it never tooke the Degree of the Stage I presume you are all Learned Gentlemen and know better how to judge by the care than by the eye though both may exercise their functions here As well a foole as a good Physitian may come from Padua an Asse may graduate himself at Athens Wherefore now Gentlemen if you be lovers of the Muses and such I would have you all I need not then doubt of your benevolent aspects which will soon beget a candid censure I make but one Musophilus of you all to whom as it were Uno in multis I dedicate my endeavours bestowed upon this Poëm hoping to find in you all severally that fundamentall similitude and common Ration in your loves to Learning by which you may easily retribute that recompence to these Labours which the Stage deny'd Your true Honorer JOHN JONES Eugen The Actors names PROLOGVE Cosmo a Duke Adrasta his Duchesse Lucilio their Sonne Lady Julia a widdow Althea her daughter Antonio a Courtier and friend to Lucilio Camilla the Lady Julia's women Fioretta the Lady Julia's women Rigazzo a Page to Lucilio Alastor a villaine but a Coward Assassino a Blade or desperate fellow Micale a Witch Sarvia her daughter Navarchus a Master of a Ship One Mariner or Ship-man Mr Frailware a Grocer and Constable Mistris Ambrosia Frailware his wife Debora her maid Mr Damasippus a lecherous Stoike Mistris Abigail his wife Damon two Shepheards Arminio two Shepheards Laurinda a Shepherdesse A messenger EPILOGVE The Scene Florence A little before the Prologue comes forth enters one of the Actors and sits downe on the Stage as a stranger awhile after enters the Prologue and stumbles at his legs Gent. HOw now Prologue is your mind so much on your part that you must run over men as you goe Prol. The fault was yours sir that would so carelesly sit in his way that was to doe his part by you tho we hope to run over some before we have ended and yet without any Cynicall observation especially of the wise Gent. Why for Iuvenal's sake what has thy new tunn'd Poetry vented will you raile will you be satiricall and bite and rub the City with salt Prol. Faith sir you must know that the giddy loosenes of vicious humors does so rankle in most parts of our time 's imposthum'd gallantry that t is a hard thing Satyram non scribere and therefore we are desirous to launce it a little and give the sore an issue that vanity seeing the foulenesse of the matter which made it swell to such a seeming greatnesse may loathe it selfe and seeke a cure for the disease Gent. Doe yoe heare Prologue your Author is a foole is he desirous to buy Fame at such a rate that he wil smart for 't will not examples move him can he not live private but he must be medling with Tigillinus Did he never heare of the Proverb that it 's better railing at Hercules then at a Clowne to his face I prethee tell him of it and let him know t is better live still private and unknowne then have our smarts to ev'ry eare be blowne Prol. Troth it is true sir I le put him in mind of it Gent. I prithee doe and tell him withall that so choise an Audience desires not to glut their eares with others infamie nor ever wish'd their mirth should feed upon the ranke distemperature of other mens vices but come to behold a Scene merry and harmelesse as free from sower invectives as fulsome bawdery as for those whose dull palats
melancholy Which some define is weaknesse in a Lord And in a Lady pride or fullennesse But in a wise man 't is flatt foolery Lucil. Prethee forbeare Antonio let me in silence Vent out the cares that overwhelme my soule Thou know'st how deep an angry mothers spleene Wounds the soft love that I am forc'd to beare To my Altheas vertues How can I chuse But weep away my youth when I remember The dreadfull oppositions which my soule Hath formerly sustain'd for her the cares That have out-runne my yeares and like to corsives Have eate into my flesh there seiz'd upon All faculties of life and spred their venome Through every veine and sinew of my heart Anto. 'T is your owne fault that thus will spend your selfe In such extreames of passion that encrease The number of your griefes above your spirit Faith 't is unmanly done call you this love Lucil. Antonio thou mistak'st the name of love In thy Lucilio if thou conceiv'st it dull And sprightlesse melancholy whose corroding humour Feeds on the faint dejection of a minde That dares not meet an apprehensive thought Of least misfortune but it basely yeelds I have held up thou knowest against all plots A womans wit could manage or invent Or cause the Duke my father countenance To blow out the chaste flame of my affection Have laid my brest open to envy's spight And suffer'd even to banishment it selfe If I may tearm 't a banishment from her Who is all things to me divine Althea Life Countrey fortune all that this world cals happy Anto. Strange Symptomes of affection Lucilio Say Antonio Was it not Banishment that even when Iove Had licens'd us in heav'n and meant to send Himen to earth in white and Priestly robes To joyne our hands as Cupid had our hearts Then to be taken hoodwinkt from my hopes And sent in haste from Court just in the harvest Of my desires to combate with the Arts The aire and clime of Athens whil'st the Sunne Trebled his course to the Coelestiall Ramme Anto. Yet know my Lord that your indulgent Parents Out of their Princely care intended it But as a course of Physick to recover Your love-sick thoughts hoping that Time Absence Ioyn'd with the precepts of Philosophy Might purge you to a remissnesse of affection And by degrees conquer this mouldy passion Lucil. All which supposed remedies deare friend Set the disease a working much lesse cure it True love Antonio is immutable A divine Charter of affection Confirm'd in heav'n and can by no prescript Of Art or Nature ever be restrain'd Nullis amor est medicabilis herbis Nec prosunt Artes Anto. Yet since in vaine you strive To bandy with a mother me thinkes Love Tir'd in the depth of woe should call your Reason To a new choise fitting your Birth and Fortunes Lucil. Call woes to woes I am resolv'd to trie The worst of spleene and since her vertuous thoughts Have daign'd to meet affection that on wings Of true borne faith hath rais'd it selfe to claspe With her deserts the most austerest tempest Envy can showre upon our innocent loves Shall ne'r dis-joyne us Anto I have done my Lord Lucil. Then prethee Antonio let me in peace retire I feele some strange events lie at my heart My thoughts cannot presage I feare my friend I have but dream'd as yet but now mine eyes Must wake to meet true solid miseries Exit Lucilio Anto. To see how strong love is and the command It has o'r humane hearts Poore Lord I know Thy true-borne griefes are firme and that chast faith Never conceiv'd to wave with floating likenesse Makes thee thus sinke into the depth of sorrow Page Nay good Signior follow him put him out of the humour or else he will turne madman shortly Anto. Why sir Page Because he that 's first a Scholler next in love the yeare after is either an arrant foole or a starke madman Anto. How came your knavery by such experience Page As fooles doe by newes some body told me so and I beleeve it But in good earnest I had forgot to tell my Lord of the message he sent me in Anto. Whither in the name of Mercury was that Page To see how the Lady Donna Fiozza did Anto. Oh! how does her beauteous Ladiship Page Sick terrible sick Anto. Physick defend prethee of what disease Page Yesterday her Monkey had a fall off the side table and ever since she has had a strange fit of an ague Anto. How does her Lord Page Faith not well neither and therefore he begins to be most sparingly vertuous Anto. The pox he does Page On my fidelitie you are the foule mouth'dst gallant that ever wore Cloves in 's Gummes you say an Italian Count has the pox Anto. Your neater word good Galateo Page By this light you Courtiers bee the dullest creatures living you learne nothing but flattery and begging You must know sir in a Nobleman 't is abusive no in him the Sarpigo in a Knight the Grincomes in a Gentleman the Neopolitan scabb and in a Servingman or Artificer the plaine Pox Iust as your saying goes that Noblemen bee never drunke but take a surfeit Schollers be ill at ease and poore men onely they are drunke yet all 's but one disease There 's an old rime for you adieu Signior I must to my Lord Anto. Farewell hedge-pike Exeunt Enter Althea and Alastor Alth. Did my Lord so farre impart the businesse to your selfe Alast. He did and does intend to use my help alone in effecting of his project She gives him a letter and money Alth. I prethee returne him this answer and bee silent Alast. Sweet villany thou art the thrivingst trade under heaven Exit Alth. Warme blood assist me how has wonder seiz'd The frozen passages that slowly guide My shivering spirits up to the seat of life Murder the Duke now innocence forbid And let our selves be as out loves unstain'd Tyrannous affection can thy transforming power Enforce our passions thus beyond our selves Rob us of nature and the sense of man Seize all our actions force us to forget That we are children and with loves finger blot Cleane from our thoughts the pietie we owe To them that gave us life Carry us headlong To such a gulfe of sinne where we must drowne Our selves our honour and that secure content A guiltlesse conscience brings to innocence Ah deare Lucilio how are thy vertues dimm'd In my best thoughts that like a Christall mirrour Still held the shapes of thy deserving actions Vnspottedly resembl'd what spirit of night Has mixt it selfe with those untainted vowes Thy never yet ambitious soule pour'd forth To attend our loves Some Angel deare Lucilio Descend into thy fancy to perswade thee By all the bands Love Duty Nature Heaven Can bring to binde thee in a tender feare Of roughly breathing on the softest ayre That toucheth but his safetie to desist From this unnaturall act of paricide Fatall experience speakes and makes it good They stand
your patience too farre and give The Duke a cause to blame your too much favour Exeunt The Page puls Damasippus back to speake with him Dam. My little least of any thing thou parcell of man what 's the newes with thee Page Newes from the Fortunate Ilands Master Damasippus The very Elizium of your delight and delicious Nectar of pleasure Mistris Ambrosia Frailware commands halfe her selfe to your learned conceipts and the rest to the heate of your inferiour Moralities Dam. O the odoriferous flowre of Florence How does shee Page In able strength and strong appetite and earnestly entreates this evening your presence at Supper her Husband will bee forc'd by Oath businesse to be absent and therefore you must feed her with the fruits of your company and you shall bee fed with the strength of confirming meates that edifie Dam. Thy reward shall overtake thee I will first accompany this Lady to her death and prepare and strengthen her according to moralitie and then I will be ready to give all moral comfort to the sweet desires of our deare Paramour Exit Page I le meet your moral comfort with such a Physicall counter-buffe that I le spoile your tilting for that night i'faith Exit Actus 3. Scena 1. Enter Antonio Lucilio following and by him Damasippus at going to the Rocke the executioner Frailware and others with Holbeards Damasippus ANd as I told you sweet Lady make your reconcilement with the world that you bee not hindred from your death if you owe any thing you must forgive and forget it that you may dye according to moralitie Lucil. I thanke your labour Master Damasippus I hope my peace with heaven and earth 's confirm'd And you shall need trouble your selfe no farther But you Antonio whose deserving trust Must be a witnesse of the latest gaspe Our fainting soule shall draw tell to the world How undivided was the tender love Betwixt Althea and Lucilio's life And let me vow 't into thy full beliefe That the soft Ayre faun'd with the cooling breath Of a milde Sommers Evening from the West Was not lesse murderous than Althea's wish Nay weepe not man we cannot weepe our selves We doe intreat this death to end our woes Not to encrease them Farewell Antonio And if in after times you heare our friends Sigh for our haplesse death bid them desist We did but quench the thirst envy had chas'd us into Come honest friend Discharge your Office for sorrow 'gins to fit Heavy upon our heart that faine would rest The Executioner with one more leads him up to the Rocke where he begins to binde his hands first asking him forgivenesse Execut. Madam forgive me your death Lucil. Which here I doe As freely as I wish my weari'd Ghost May finde a fearelesse passage through the strange And uncouth shades that leades our soules to Rest Enter the Lady Iulia running with her haire dishevell'd Iulia Where shall I runne to meet that which beheld Kils with a deadlyer wound then doe the eyes Or coldest poyson of a Basiliske She sees them on the Rock Althea stay and let thy wretched Parent Take the last farewell of her dying childe Shee runnes up to them Ah why did Nature make my unhappy wombe Fruitfull by thee and yet reserve mine age To out-live the extremities of griefe and see Thy dismall end by an untimely death Was I reserv'd for this Or were the crimes Of our black guilt so horrid in the eyes Of Heaven that nothing but the fatall scourge Of severe justice in the woefull'st forme Could expiate our sinne How were I blest If the first instant that imparted life To thy scarce featur'd selfe joy to my wombe Had beene the last in which we both had breath'd Lucil. Madam doe not afflict your selfe nor let your cares Live from our death Althea cannot dye But with her innocence does buy a life That shall extend her worth beyond the reach Of Time and Envy Therefore as you respect Your daughters peacefull happinesse take truce With sorrow but till we be dead and Heaven That still protects the innocent will show How just it is in plaguing those that strive By treacherous plots to oppresse innocent lives Iulia Canst thou perswade the Ocean in a storme To leave her swelling Or a Bullet shot To stop its passage No Althea no! The lightest Arrow is not more powerfull sent Vnto his Mark than we are throwne to death Therefore farewell I le haste to meet thee there Where no injustice nor oppressing tyrannie Shall sever our embraces and let this kisse Seale up that vow upon thy dying lips She offers to kisse Lucilio and putting by his Scarfe he is knowne What 's here has sorrow so transform'd thy shape Or dull'd the wonted vigour of my sight That it sees nothing right proportioned Lucil. Madam conceale me for Althea's love Who lives but banish'd onely for a while And let me die that she may freely live Iulia My Lord Lucilio doe you mocke my woes O where 's Althea have you murder'd her And come to upbraid the miseries we feele Is 't not enough that I must lose that stay On which my aged widdowhood rely'd But you must jest at anguish Is not our blood Enough to satisfie the thirst of Treason But you must swallow more I le not conceale Your murdering plotts but lay these Actions ope To the wide worlds eyes and leave the rest In hope that Heaven who doth your treacheries view As you have dealt so they may deale with you Shee throwes off his Scarfe Exit Iulia Lucilio offers to throw himselfe off the Rocke Serv. What meanes my Lord Lucil. To dye as I am doom'd Therefore let me goe Serv. Antonio lend your help To save the Prince whom you have brought to death Anto. My heart force him to live or by the Seat Of Iustice you shall die as many deaths As you have Arteries Lucil. Then we must live to see those griefes alive Which death would end and life will but revive Anto. Poste to the Duke before and let him know The strangenesse of the accident Exit Servant Frailware and Page Lucil. Antonio know that I ever held thy faith till now True to thy friend and thought thou wouldst assist His miserie which thou hadst richly done If I had dyed Anto. O honour'd Lord be these Your harmelesse attempts that you conceal'd With such a nice reserv'dnesse from your friend Come good my Lord let us repaire to Court That now stands wondring at this strange report Exeunt Enter Page and Frailware Page My Head 's in labour with a jest Master Constable and I have a warrant to your authoritie to see me well deliver'd on 't Frail. I can drinke Sack and talke bawdy for a need if it come within the compasse of my Office Page Why there be two ingredients then to the composition of a Midwife and if you 'll be rul'd in the Action wee shall laugh and lie downe and have an excellent banquet at the
slumber begging with silent showes And deep fetch'd groanes a mothers slow revenge Assas. Good Madam I am sorry for it Iul. Then to recount the wrongs the infamy Heapt on her youth when by most trecherous plots Shee was attaint of murder and became The marke for every vulgar tongue to spit Slander and treason on her faire report And last her undeserv'd imprisonment Assas. By heavens 't was a foule abuse what wer 't best to doe Iul. And now to force her flie her dearest Countrey Friends hopes contents twixt opposite love and hate To live in obscure exile poore forlorne Suspitious still of death and flying that To wade each houre deep into misery To meet another death before her and sinke Vnder the double hand of murder not Into a Tombe but a poore Mountaine grave No rites nor obsequies at her interment Buried without a teare unpitied unrespected Assas. 'Fore Heaven Madam I would revenge it Jul. My soule Assassino labours for revenge Yet I 'm a woman and can sprinkle them But with a few salt teares and curse and pray Which is a weake foundation for my revenge To climbe and over-looke them Assa. You have friends call in the enemie mutine Iul. That 's full of hazzard for a peace being sworne The enterprize may make them happier Vs still more miserable But if my griefe Were arm'd with such a hand as would o'rturne The frame of all those hopes for which they sweate And spurne that in the dust which they would raise With hatefull deeds up to the point of state That I might see them grieve and waile the losse Which now afflicts my carefull widdowhood Know what it were to lose a childe sole comfort Of their declining yeares and send their a-Ged Coarses to the grave hopelesse of issue Assas. To make away the Prince 't is that you meane Iul. Thou art within me already And mark Assassino how easie 't is Since time occasion travaile and his solenesse Thy selfe not knowne gives advantagious meanes To second thine attempt doe but resolve And Fate will straight resolve to second thee In such a righteous and just revenge Assas. Madam the enterprise is dangerous And though I have a daring spirit that bids Mee undertake the deep'st attempts of blood For your revenge and in so just a quarrell Yet must you thinke the danger I shall passe Cannot but highly merit recompence Jul. Vow't propose the summe my House my Purse My Meanes and whatsoe'r is mine is thine Be bold and faithfull I le ever hold thee deare Call thee our Houses Champion and the hand Of heaven's justice mark'd to punish sinne And plague the guilty thoughts of tyranny Ass. But Madam the report of his passage is so obscure That I can hardly learne which way hee tooke Iul. I have dogg'd the rumour of his journey and can Exactly informe thee come take directions And gold to furnish thee Assas. Then I resolv't And he shall die Iul. Now thou dost powre fresh youth Vpon my haires newly reviv'st my soule Put'st spirits to my heart dry'd up with sighes And mak'st fresh blood traverse my empty veines For the sweet'st heaven the spleenes of women finde Is full revenge to our aggrieved minde Exeunt Enter Alastor solus in rich apparell disguised for the Prince Alast. It 's strange I heare not from the Prince nor Antonio who promis'd to meet mee here where I have now stay'd three dayes in expectance and had the winde bin faire must have pass'd for Greece 'Fore Heaven it 's a gallant thing to be a Lord if but in name you shall be so applauded in every vanitie scurrill jest and impious action A Satten Thersites that stalks among the Pesants like the Stork that Iupiter sent among the frogs will so bend and bow to your little Toe fawne and protest your excellencies Si bene ructavit Sirectum minxit I would I had the faith that some have I would never be unlorded againe 'Fore Heaven I must begin to fawne and get my selfe created This service done for the Prince is a good step to it Enter a Captaine of a Ship Now Captaine the winde 's unconstant still every where save where to steed us Cap. Womanish my Lord womanish Alast. Indeed their levity has gotten them now that Simile appropriated Cap. But they shew'd other Cards before they wonne it too Alast. Nay that 's enough i'faith Cap. Yet they had more Alast. As what Cap. Why their tongues which fill houses as the bustling of Windes doe Climates they overturne Families and States as winds doe Trees Towres Ships And for your diversitie of winds you have your diversitie of women for your whirlewindes that claspe and carry a thing in the ayre till it fall dasht to peeces you have of your Females that will claspe and beare you till at your next fall you will thinke one peece will scarce hang by another For your freezing windes you have them that will breed such a frost in your bones that change of weather will make 'hem as rotten as the ground after a sudden thaw And for your blitting and burning windes you have of them too that will blast and scorch most ambidextrously Onely the difference is that there bee but sixteene points in the Card where the winde can be unprofitable to a man but a woman has for the most part the whole compasse of her Card unprofitable which containes two and thirty points at least Alast. Then the Grāmarians methinkes did ill to make Ventus of the Masculine Gender Cap. The Grāmarians my Lord were meere Schollers meere Schollers be meere fooles and meere fooles are easily deceiv'd in matter of Gendring Alast. Impossible sir they couple Genders by Booke Capt. Right my Lord so they all study Riders Dictionary and therefore become excellent Horsemen Enter Navarchus a Master of a Ship Navar. Newes from Court to your Grace a stiffe robustious Letter-Carrier makes much inquiry where he may be delivered of some matters he has beene in travaile withall Alast. Cozenage and dissimulation help me it 's impossible to scape discovering D'sfoote I must walke stately looke scornfully talke simply and be Noble at all points now But it fals out something fortunately to be in the Evening let him have entrance Enter Assassino disguised Assas. Health to your Grace Alast. As much to them that bring it how fare our friends at Court Assa. As wanting no part of welfare but your wish'd presence Alast. Have you ought to impart that concerns us Assas. I have my Lord and must have private conference with your Grace Alast. Attend us then on the Litto where I le presently meete you and take this soft Evening breath Assas. Heaven Ayre Place Time and all will fit thy death Exit Assas. Alast. By Iove methinks I begin to be my Craftes-Master and Lord it handsomely If it were as easie for a Villaine to be a Lord as a Lord to be a villaine I would write noble instantly get mee a Herald for